Clasp garter



Oct. 17, 1950 c. H. MEYER 2,526,394

' CLASP GARTER Filed April 23, 1945 INVEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 17, 1 950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,526,394 7 I LASP GARTER v Charles H. Neyer, Alliance, Ohio 7 Application April 23, 1945, Serial No. 589,717 I This invention relates to garters 'for supporting hose, one 'theeobjects beingito provide a garter of the elastic band type to which the rolled upper end of the stocking can be quickly and securely connected by means of clasps provided for that made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit, of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, the preferred 1f0rm of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the garter.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section through a por- "tion of the garter showing one of the clasps in stocking gripping position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 ShOWiIlg the clasp open to release the stocking or place it in position, a portion of the stocking being drawn thereover.

Figure 4 is a view of the clasp in full open position.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, i designates a band which can be of elastic fabric such as commonly used in the formation of garters of this type and it is to be understood that this band can be so made that it can be adjusted to any size desired. For example, and as indicated at 2, the ends of the band can be sewed together.

Mounted on the band I are one or more clasps. In the present instance two of these clasps have been shown, these being located at diametrically opposed points on the garter. Each clasp includes a thin metal loop 3 through which the band I is threaded, the loop being so proportioned as to fit snugly about the band so as to be held in place frictionally.

A spring tongue 4 is extended upwardly from the lower end of the loop 3 and is provided preferably adjacent to its center with an outwardly bulged portion 5. The outer surface of this tongue can have a thickness of felt, fabric, or other soft material applied thereto as indicated at 6.

.3 Claims. (01. 24 248) .-A gripping jaw 1 in the form of an elongated strip of spring metal or the like is hingedly connected at One end to the upper end of tongue 4 as indicated at 8 and is provided between its ends with a recess 9 so located as to be normally positioned directly opposite the bulged portion 5. A spring finger H] is extended backwardly from the free end of the jaw I and has a rounded or curled terminal Ii adapted to bear at all times against the upper portion of the loop 3. The diameter of this end portion I! is much greater than the normal distance between the loop 3 and the center of the pivot 8 on which is hinged the upper end of the jaw 1, as shown in Fig. 2. Consequently since the upper end of the spring finger ii] is spaced a substantial distance away from the outer surface of loop 3 by the terminal H, the lower end of spring finger ll), disposed on the other side of the pivot 8, is correspondingly urged toward the loop 3, with the result that jaw i is pressed toward tongue 4 as in Fig. 2, with the spring finger being placed under tension because of the resistance encountered by jaw '17 toward its movement toward the tongue 4, said resistance resulting from thicknesses of the tongue 4 and roll R of a stocking that are interposed between jaw l andloop 3. When it is desired to open the clasp the lowerend of the jaw i is pulled outwardly. This will cause the end H to enter between hinge 8 and loop 3 and as the finger ii! is longer than jaw 1, said jaw will be pushed outwardly and will pull tongue 4, which is of spring metal or the like, away from its normal position. Thus the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 3. With the parts thus located and the garter i in position, the upper end of a stocking S to be supported can be pulled over the clasp and then rolled as at R in Fig. 2, the roll extending across tongue i. Thereafter jaw l is pushed downwardly until the end II, which has been seated between the loop 3 and bulge 5, is lifted past the dead center. Immediately thereafter finger ill acts as a spring to move the jaw '8 toward and in contact with the rolled position R, causing said portion to be gripped tightly against the tongue 4 which has returned to its normal position because of its resilient nature. Thus the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 2 and the stocking will be firmly gripped and supported. Where two clasps are used both of them will be operated in the same manner so that the stocking will be gripped at two different points. The garter herein described is advantageous because it does not tend to tear or otherwise mutilate the stocking supported thereby and because it can be worn comfortably and is entirely independent of any garments such as generally relied upon for support.

What is claimed is:

1. In a garter a clasp including a band engaging loop, a, spring tongue rigid at one end with the loop and constituting one jaw member, a spring jaw hingeclly connected at one end to the other end of the tongue and constituting a second jaw member cooperating with the first member, a spring finger extending from the other end of the last-named jaw and means on the fingeriand in constant contact with the loop for holding the last-named jaw in either open or closed positions relative to the tongue.

2. A clasp for garters including a garter receiving loop, a, spring tongue rigid at one end with the loop and constituting one jaw member,

a spring jaw hingedly connected at one end to v 4 jaw and tongue constituting means for gripping between them an article to be supported when the last-named jaw is in closed position and meanson the tongue for holding the engaged article against slipping.

3. A clasp for garters including a band-engaging loop, a spring tongue rigid at its lower end with the lower end of the loop, a spring jaw hingedly connected at one end to the upper end of the tongue, said tongue and jaw constituting cooperating jaw members, a spring finger integral at one end with the other end of the spring jaw, and means on the other end of the finger and in contact with the loop for holding the spring jaw in either open or closed positions relative to the tongue.

CHARLES H. NEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 740,734 Bishop Oct. 6, 1903 1,190,446 Moore July 11, 1916 1,383,062 Bascome June 28, 1921 

